Automatic block-signal system for electric railways.



I PATENTED FEB. 27 1906. G. W. JOHNSTON & A. H. AGKERMANN.

AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

GRAY W. JOHNSTON AND ALEXANDER H. AOKERMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

Application filed April 25, 1905. Serial No. 257,300.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GRAY W. JOHNSTON, residing in the borough of Manhattan, and ALEXANDER H. AGKERMANN, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York and State of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Block-Signal Systems for Electric Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to automatic blocksignal systems for electric railways, the obj ect of the same being to provide novel means for actuating a danger-signal when a car or train enters a block and for simultaneously actuating a caution-signal at the entrance to the block which the car has just left and a safety-signal at the entrance to the second block behind.

The invention consists of electrically-controlled signaling devices for each block, a posame being shown as applied to one line of a double track road. For both tracks the mechanism illustrated would be merely duplicated.

The track-rails themselves have not been illustrated; but the line is shown as divided up into blocks or block-sections A B O D, these blocks being of any desired length and continuing throughout the length of the road. At the entrance to each block the trolley wire or line conductor 1 has electrically connected with it a contact-strip, the strips for the diflerent blocks being indicated at 2*, 2 2, and 2 Opposite each of these strips, but parallel thereto, are separate contactstrips 3*, 3 3, and 3, each pair of strips 2" 3*, &c., being separated from each other, but adapted to be engaged by the trolley wheel or shoe carried by the car. Each of the contact-strips 3 3 &c., is grounded through a wire 4, having a resistance 5 therein.

The signaling devices have been shown as colored electric lamps 6 7 8 9, one set of said lamps being provided at the entrance to each block, although it is obvious that for these lamps semaphores or other equivalent signaling devices might be substituted. The lamps 6 and 7 of each set have been indicated as green, the lamp 8 as yellow, and the lamp 9 as red. The safety-signal, which indicates that the particular block opposite which it is displayed, as well as the block ahead, is clear, is to be represented by the burning of the two green lamps 6 and 7. The cautionsignal, which indicates that the particular block opposite which it is displayed, is clear,

but that the block ahead is not clear, is to be represented by the burning of the green lamp 6 and the yellow lamp 8, and the dangersignal, which indicates that the block opposite which it is displayed is not clear or contains another car, is to be represented by the burning of the yellow lamp 8 and the red lamp 9. The green lamp 6 is in a circuit including the wires 10 and 1 1, the wire 10 carrying or having connected with it a contact 12 and the wire 11 being grounded. The other green lamp 7 is in a circuit including the wires 13 and 11, the wire 13 carrying or having connected with it-a contact 14. As shown,

the contacts 12 and 14 are arranged in comparatively close relation to each other. The yellow lamp 8 is included in a circuit with the wires 11 and 15, the wire 15 being connected with a contact-point 16. The said wire 15 is also connected with a contact 17. The red lamp 9 is included in a circuit containing the 1 wires 11 and 18, the wire 18 having connected with it a contact 19, arranged, as shown, in comparatively close relation to the contact 16.

Cooperating with the contacts 12 14 16 19 is the vibrating tongue or armature 20 of a polarized relay comprising the magnets 21 and 22, connected in'series with each'other. In the diagrammatic illustration of the armature of said relay the same has been shown as carrying conducting blades or contacts 23 24, insulated from each other, but mechanicall connected together so that they will be moved in unison in opposite directions. When this armature 20 is at the limit of its movement in one direction, the blade 24 will be in electrical connection with the contact 12 and the blade 23 in electrical connection with the contact 14, and when it is at the limit of its movement in the opposite direction the blade 24 thereof will be in electrical connection with both of the contacts 16 and 19. The coil or magnet 21 of each relay is connected, through a wire 25, with the wire 4 of the same block on the inside of the resistance 5, and the coil or magnet 22 of said relayis connected, through the wire 26, with the wire 4 of the block ahead inside of the resistance 5 in said wire 4. The wire 25, leading from the magnet 21 of the relay of one block, may be a continuation of the wire 26, leading from the magnet 22 of the next block to the rear, these two wires being both connected with one of the wires 4.

The blade 23 of the armature 20 of each polarized relay is connected, through a wire 27, with a contact 28, arranged adjacent to the contact 17, heretofore referred to. Cooperating with the contacts 17 and 28 is the tongue or armature 29 of a magnet 30. This armature 29 is pivotally mounted and adapted to be brought into engagement with the contacts 17 and 28, respectively, when at the opposite ends of its stroke. Said armature is normally held in engagement with the contact 17 by means of a spring 31 and is connected, through a wire 32, with the line conductor or trolley-wire 1. The blade 24 of the armature of the polarized relay is connected with the wire 32 through a wire 33. Leading from the wire 10 of one block to the magnet 30 of the next block to the rear is a conducting-wirei 34, and leadin from each magnet 30 to the ground-wire 11 1n the same block is a wire 35.

With this description of the construction and arrangements of the parts it is believed that the operation of our device may be readily understood. Briefly stated, it is as follows: With a car or train in block C, as represented, the various signaling devices will each be in the condition shownthat is, in block A, the second block behind that in which the car is located, the two green lamps 6 and 7 will be illuminated or burning, this being the safety-signal, indicating that both blocks A and B are clear; in block B the green lamp 6 and the yellow lamp 8 will be burning, this being the caution-signal, indicating that block B is clear, but that a car is in block 0 and that a car or train which enters block B must proceed with caution in block. When it enters the latter block, however, it will change the condition of the signaling mechanism therein to that which is illustrated in block Cthat is, it will change from the two green lights 6 and 7, indicating safety, to the yellow and red lights 8 and 9, indicating danger. This is done automatically merely by the engagement of the trolley wheel or shoe on the car with the contactstrips 2 and 3 this action bridging the circuit between said contact-strips. As soon as the circuit between the contact-strips 2 and 3 is completed there will be a flow of current to ground through the resistance 5 and wire 4 of block D. There will also be a flow of current from the wire 4, through wire 25, coils 21 22 of the polarized relay of block D, wire 26, and wire 4 of the neXt block ahead, to ground. This flow of current will energize the relay in the opposite direction and throw the armature or tongue 20 thereof to its eX- treme' position to the right, thereby breaking the circuit which was formerly established between the blades 24 and 23 of said armature and the contacts 12 and 14 and making contact between the blade-24 and the contact 19 and 16. The circuits through the wires 10 and 11 and 13 and 11, which include the two green lamps 6 and 7, respectively, will thus be broken and said lamps will be extinguished. When contact takes place between the blade 24 of the armature 20 and thecontacts 19 and 16, circuits willbe closed through the yellow lamp 8 and the red lamp 9 over the following paths: from line conductor 1, through wires 32 and 33, blade 24 of armature 20, and wires 15 and 11, to ground, which circuit includes the lamp 8, and from line conductor 1, through wires 32 and 33, blade 24 of armature 20, and wires 18 and 11, to ground, which circuit includes the lamp 9. It will thus be seen that the two green lamps, indicating safety, are automatically out out of circuit and that the yellow and red lamps 8 and 9, indicating danger, are automatically cut into circuit as soon as acar enters a particular block. ever, to displaying a danger-signal, as above indicated, a caution-signal is automatically displayed in the next preceding block to that which the car enters. This caution-signal and the positions which the different arts assume when said caution-signal is disp ayed are represented in block B. When the car or train approaches block D, the signaling mechanism of block C indicates danger. When it enters block D, the signaling mechanism of the latter block is changed to that represented in block 0 and the signaling mechanism in block C is changed to that represented in block Bthat-is to say, just be- .fore the car enters block D the yellow and red lights 8 and 9 are burning in block C, the armature of the polarized relay is at its eX- treme position. to the right, and the arma- In addition, howture 29 of the magnet 30 is at its extreme pothe contact-strips 2 3 resistance 5, wire 26,

magnets 22 21 of the polarized relay, and the wires 25 and 4 of block C to ground. This flow of current being from right to left, or in the opposite direction to the flow which formerly passed through said relay, will serve to shift the armature 20 of said relay to its eX treme position to the left, as shown in block B. "When in this position, the blade 24 of said armature'is in engagement with the contact 12 and the blade 23 of said armature is in engagement with the contact 14. As soon as the armature 20 is moved, as last in dicated, the blade 24 thereof is separated from the contacts 19 and 16 and the circuits through the yellow'and red lamps 8 and 9, heretofore traced, are broken. The red lamp 9 is entirely out out of circuit, and thereby extinguished; but the yellow lamp 8 is not extinguished, as a new circuit therethrough is established by the armature 29 of themag net 30 over the following path: line-wire 1, Wire 32, armature 29, contact 17, and wires and 11 to ground, which latter circuit includes the lamp 8, and' when contact takes place between the blade 24 of the armature and the contact 12 a circuit is closed through the green lamp 6 Over the following path: line-wire 1, wires 32 and 33, blade 24, and wires 10 and 11 to ground, which circuit includes the lamp 6. Thus when a car enters a block it will automatically throw into operation a danger-signal at the entrance to said block and a caution-signal at the entrance to the preceding block. In addition to this a safety-signal will be thrown into operation at the second block behind. When the circuit is established, as above described, through the wires 10 and 11 of block C, there will be a flow of current from the wire 10, through the wire 34, magnet and wires 35 and 11 of blockB, to ground, as indicated at block A. When this occurs, the armature 29 of the magnet 30 will be moved out of engagement with the contact 17, as shown in block B, and into engagement with the contact 28, as shown in block A. The yellow lamp 8 will thus be cut out of circuit and extinguished. A new circuit will be established, however, through the other green lamp 7 over the following path: wire 32, armature 29, contact 28, wire 27, blade 23 of armature 20 of polarized relay, and wires 13 and 11 to ground, the latter circuit including the lamp 7. The safety-signal is thus displayed by cutting out the yellow lamp 8 and lighting the other green lamp 7.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In a block-signal system for electric rail- .ways, electrically-controlled signaling devices in each block, a polarized relay in each block for controlling the circuits to said signaling devices, and means, automatically thrown into operation by the entrance of acar into a block, for causing a flow of current through the relay in the same block in a direction opposite to that which previously passed therethrough, whereby the armature of said relay will be shifted, the circuits to the signaling devices in the same block will be varied, and a different signal will be displayed.

2. In a block-signal system for electric railways, signaling devices in each block, electric circuits controlling said signaling devices, contacts forming the terminals of said circuits, a polarized relay for each block whose armature is movable between and adapted to engage said contacts for alternately making and breaking said circuits, and means, automatically thrown into operation by the entrance of a car into a block, for causing a flow of current through the relay in the same block in a direction opposite that which previously passed therethrough', as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a block-signal system for electric railways, a line conductor, contact-strips at the entrance to each block adapted to be electrically connected with said conductor by a contact device carried by thecar, returncircuit wires leading respectively from said strips, electricallycontrolled signaling devices in each block, a polarized relay in each ICO block for controlling the circuits to said sig 4 naling devices, and circuits between the return-wires of each two ad acent blocks including said relays, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a block-signal system for electric railways, a line conductor, contact-strips at the entrance to each block adapted to be electrically connected with said conductor by a contact device carried by the car, return-circuit wires leading respectively from, said strips, signaling devices in each block, electric circuits controlling said signaling devices; contacts forming the terminals of said circuits, a polarized relay for each block whose armature is movable between and adapted to engage said contacts, for alternately making and breaking said circuits, and circuits between the return-wires of each two adjacent blocks, including said relays, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a block-signal system for electric railways, signaling devices for each block, a polarized relay in each block for controlling the circuits to said signaling devices, and means, automatically thrown into operation by the entrance of a car or train into a block, for closing circuits through the relays of two adjacent blocks in opposite directions.

. 6. In a block-signal system for electric railways, signaling devices for each block, electric circuits controlling said signaling devices,

. contacts forming the terminals of said circuits, a polarized relay for each block whose armature is movable between and adapted to engage said contacts for alternately making and breaking said circuits, circuits leading from each relay to opposite ends of the block in which it is located, and means, thrown into operation by the entrance of a car or train into a block, for successively closing the latter circuits, whereby a flow of current is automatically caused to flow through the relays of two adjacent blocks in opposite directions, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a block-signal system for electric railways, signaling devices for each block, electric circuits controlling said signaling devices, contacts forming the terminals of said circuits, a polarized relay for each block whose armature is movable between and adapted to engage said contacts, for alternately making and breaking said circuits, an additional pair of contacts in each block, one constituting a second terminal of the circuit to one of said signaling devices and the other being electrically connected to one of the contacts of the armature of said relay, a magnet included in an. auxiliary circuit leading from the circuit of one of the signaling devices in the next adjacent block, an armature for said magnet normally held in engagement with one of said additional contacts but movable between and adapted to engage the other of said additional contacts, when said magnet is energized, and means, automatically thrown into.

operation by the entrance of a car into a block, for causing a flow of current through the relay in the same block in a direction opposite that which previously passed therethrough, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a block-signal system for electric railways, a line conductor, contact-strips, at the entrance to each block, adapted to be electrically connected with said conductor by a contact device carried by the car, return-circuit wires leading respectively from said strips, signaling devices in each block, electric circuits controlling said signaling devices, contacts forming the terminals of said circuits, a polarized relay for each block whose armature is movable between and adapted to engage said contacts, for alternately making and breaking said circuits, an additional pair of contacts in each block, one constituting a second terminal of the circuit to one of said signaling devices and the other being electrically connected to one of the contacts of the armature of said relay, a magnet in an auxiliary circuit leading from the circuit of one of the signaling devices in the neXt adj a cent block, an armature for said magnet normally held in engagement with one of said additional contacts but movable between and adapted to engage the other of said additional contacts,when said magnet is energized, and circuits between the return-wires of each two adjacent blocks, including said relays, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a block-signal system for electric railways, electrically-controlled signal devices in each block, a polarized relay in each block for controlling the circuits to said signal devices, means automatically thrown into operation by the entrance of a car into a block, for causing a flow of current through the relay in the same block in a direction opposite to that which previously passed therethrough,

' whereby the armature of said relay will be shifted, the circuits to the signaling devices in the same block will be varied, and a different signal will be displayed, and a circuit closed by said relay for displaying a signal in a preceding block.

In witness whereof we subscribe our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

GRAY W. JOHNSTON. ALEXANDER H. ACKERMANN.

Witnesses CHAs. MOO. CHAPMAN, WM. M. STOOKBRIDGE. 

